Crew SC, D.C. United both trying to stop skids

Friday

D.C. United enters its game Saturday against Crew SC winless in its last nine regular-season games dating to last season.

The Crew looks to avoid its first three-game losing streak and comes off a loss at Chicago in which players thought they should have won given the flow of the game.

The levels of desperation might vary, but each team will have at least something on its mind at kickoff Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.

“Look, we’ve lost two games in a row so we’re the same,” midfielder Wil Trapp said. “Our energy, our preparation and realizing that this week all we’re trying to do is go 1-0 and win a game. That’s our focus.”

Through the Crew’s hot streak to begin the season was followed by losses to Vancouver and Chicago, coach Gregg Berhalter has relayed a message of week-to-week focus. Still, players are human and can’t always view games and performances in a vacuum, and in some cases context helps. Despite losing its last two, the Crew started out 3-0-1 and isn’t panicking at an early stage in the season with 10 points already banked.

“You’re still in a good position, so that’s what helps in this case,” Berhalter said. “Say that was the first two games, we might be having a different conversation and now the guys maybe need to pick it up because we haven’t gotten any results and we lost some confidence as a group.

“But a big component of the game is mental and we know what this group can do.”

The Crew also has in the back of its mind its most recent win, 3-1 over D.C. United on March 24. The game produced what was arguably the Crew’s most controlled second half in six games this season, but it knows what happened in March doesn't guarantee anything on Saturday, especially in a Major League Soccer setup that yields unexpected results week after week.

For example, despite finishing 9-20-5 last season — last in the Eastern Conference — D.C. United defeated Atlanta United, the No. 4 team in the East, three times.

“This is a difficult league to coach in and I think it’s underrated in this league how hard it is to coach in because of the parity,” Berhalter said. “Think if you’re Bayern Munich playing in Germany. You could put a B team in against eight of the teams and still win comfortably. That’s not happening in MLS.”

This game isn't taking place in Munich, but instead on a turf field in Annapolis with smaller dimensions that will be new for both teams. The game also is D.C. United's last home game until July, giving it plenty of motivation before a brutal stretch that includes four West Coast trips between now and July 4.

“I’m assuming they’re going to take this game very serious,” Crew defender Josh Williams said. “And also having the game tape from that (March) game, I think (D.C. United coach) Ben (Olsen) will have them more sorted out there. But I think if we’re up 3-1 (again) we’re going to be hard to beat at that point.”

aerickson@dispatch.com

@AEricksonCD

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.